The writers of the 2000 hit comedy "Miss Congeniality" received inspiration for the Sandra Bullock flick from an unusual place: Ellen DeGeneres. The Oscar host revealed in a new interview with Parade that her attempt to waltz around in a dress and heels prompted the tale of Gracie Hart, the FBI agent who goes undercover at a beauty pageant to stifle a bomb threat.
“'Miss Congeniality' was written based on me,” DeGeneres said. “When I was getting ready to co-host the Emmys, the writer saw me [on TV] learning how to walk in a dress and heels. My stylist at the time -- a man -- was teaching me, and it was hilarious. The 'Miss Congeniality' writer saw it and thought it was brilliant.”
In addition to revealing that Bullock's character is basically a DeGeneres derivation, the talk-show host noted that she once beat out Jennifer Aniston for a role. Her supporting part in the 1999 Ron Howard comedy "EDtv," starring Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson, finds her playing a TV producer who's responsible for an early iteration of reality programming -- but the role could have belonged to the "Friends" star instead.
“Jen Aniston is my friend and she recently reminded me that I beat her out of that,” DeGeneres said. “I got the part and Jen Aniston didn’t! That’ll probably be the only time that happens.”
Read DeGeneres' full interview with Parade here.
“'Miss Congeniality' was written based on me,” DeGeneres said. “When I was getting ready to co-host the Emmys, the writer saw me [on TV] learning how to walk in a dress and heels. My stylist at the time -- a man -- was teaching me, and it was hilarious. The 'Miss Congeniality' writer saw it and thought it was brilliant.”
In addition to revealing that Bullock's character is basically a DeGeneres derivation, the talk-show host noted that she once beat out Jennifer Aniston for a role. Her supporting part in the 1999 Ron Howard comedy "EDtv," starring Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson, finds her playing a TV producer who's responsible for an early iteration of reality programming -- but the role could have belonged to the "Friends" star instead.
“Jen Aniston is my friend and she recently reminded me that I beat her out of that,” DeGeneres said. “I got the part and Jen Aniston didn’t! That’ll probably be the only time that happens.”
Read DeGeneres' full interview with Parade here.